cumber
UK: ˈkʌmbə | US: ˈkʌmbər
vt. to hinder or obstruct; to burden or weigh down
n. (archaic) a hindrance or obstruction
The word "cumber" traces back to Old French combrer (to block, hinder), derived from Late Latin cumbrus (a heap, obstacle). The root cumb- originally implied physical obstruction (e.g., lying across a path). Over time, it broadened to metaphorical burdens. The suffix -er marks it as a verb. Though rarely used today, it survives in derivatives like "encumber" and "cumbersome," retaining its core idea of impediment.
The fallen trees cumbered the road after the storm.
Heavy paperwork cumbers efficient decision-making.
She refused to let fear cumber her ambitions.
(Archaic) "Clear thy heart of such cumber," the knight advised.
Modern bureaucracy often cumbers progress with excessive rules.